Day full of lacrosse on tap at GM Centre in Oshawa

Durham Turfdogs hosting Barrie Blizzard in CLax action

DURHAM -- The General Motors Centre in Oshawa is going to be over-run with lacrosse players on Saturday.

Starting first thing in the morning the Canadian Lacrosse League's Durham Turfdogs will be hosting a set of mini-camps for minor-age players, from tyke up to midget before taking to the floor themselves for an exhibition game against the expansion Barrie Blizzard.

Following that game, the junior CLax program will take to the floor for a host of runs that stretch into the evening.

As for the main event, the game between the Turfdogs and Blizzard, which starts at 2 p.m., will serve as a tune-up with the regular season fast approaching for both teams.

"The team is coming together pretty good," says team president Jonas Derks. "We've had some changes, but the core of the group is pretty much the same. We've made some upgrades in goal and on defence and offensively our team is pretty much the same."

The exception to that is the absence of last year's top scorer, Aaron Grayson, who was traded away in a deal that netted Durham John Chesebrough, Nate Andres and Jesse Guerin, who, if healthy, should more than fill the hole.

Guerin was one of the final cuts at Minnesota Swarm camp and has been one of the top scorers in the Major Series Lacrosse loop the past few summers with the Ajax Rock.

He will join a left-side offence already featuring the likes of Scott Defranceso, who had 32 goals for Durham last season, and Dan Ransom.

Returning on the right side will be Nic Grasby and Shayne Scott, while the back end will be anchored by Chesebrough in goal, along with returnees Mitch Dumont and Eric Bissel.

Also highlighted among off-season acquisitions for the Turfdogs is a familiar face in veteran transition star Steve Toll. The Oshawa native was picked up in a trade with Brampton and Derks says while the club doesn't yet know how much Toll will be able to play due to work commitments, the hope is he will be available enough come playoff time to make a big difference.

"Steve just got a new job ... and we don't know how much he is going to play, but realistically as long as we get into the playoffs and he can play the playoffs, we'll be pretty happy," Derks said.

Another big time addition to the club will be Kyle Goodchild, the club's first round pick back in November, and player that will be expected to play a major role throughout 2013.

Meanwhile, heading into Saturday's game, Derks reports that the club's roster isn't yet finalized, but there is a chance the lineup will closely resemble the one that is expected to open the regular season Jan. 13 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (formerly Maple Leaf Gardens) against the Toronto Shooting Stars.

Durham's first regular season home game is slated for Jan. 27 against Toronto at the GM Centre (2 p.m.).